Baron determined to get it right this time
Reporter: KEVIN RICHARDSON
Date published: 03 July 2009
EIGHT years after they met in the last four of the Tanner Cup, Uppermill and Hollinwood are again vying for a place in the final.
The two teams go head to head on Sunday, with the winners meeting either Bamford Fieldhouse or Friarmere on August 16.
Uppermill beat Hollinwood by seven wickets in 2000, only to lose against Moorside in the final.
It proved a season of near misses for the Leafields outfit as they also finished runners-up to Greenfield in the league.
James Baron was 14 at the time, and he’s hoping Uppermill can go one better and lift their first Tanner Cup since 1982.
“We’ve got to win the semi-final first,” said Baron. “We beat Hollinwood a couple of weeks ago, so there is no reason why we can’t do it again.
“There is a good atmosphere within the team and Matt Taylor is doing a brilliant job as captain.
“He’s bowling again after recovering from an ankle injury, and that’s a big boost, especially in this competition when you’ve got to use at least five bowlers.”
Uppermill rattled up 303 for four in their quarter-final defeat of Stayley. Dave Wood weighed in with a rapid 76, but he’s unavailable on Sunday.
Captain John Winterbottom is absent for Hollinwood, leaving Shahzad Sadaqat to lead the side.
Hollinwood were handed a bye in the first round before overcoming Saddleworth in a low-scoring last-eight tie.
It’s a weekend of huge significance for Friarmere, who could be in both the Tanner and Moore cup finals come Sunday night.
The first team face the toughest possible test as they visit Bamford Fieldhouse.
Still unbeaten, Andy Barton’s side are through to their sixth consecutive semi-final.
The two teams met at this stage 12 months ago, with Bamford coming out on top after knocks of 83 by Peter Roberts and 79 from Lincoln Roberts.
Friarmere restricted Bamford to 202 for eight on that day, and captain Gary Kershaw will be more than happy to face a similar total.
He said: “Our bowlers are firing at present, but all our big players have got to get some runs.
“Zafar Iqbal, our overseas amateur, has probably played a dozen times against Bamford and he’s never had a score.
“We keep saying he’s due one, but for one reason or another he gets out cheaply.
“Andy Walker is in good form and John Morris is back from working in Amsterdam, which is a bonus, but Darren Graham has hit a strange patch, where he gets to 30 and then gets out.”
Bamford are still smarting from their ECB National Knockout Cup exit at Bootle.
They needed 12 runs to win off the final two balls and, although wicketkeeper Jason Maher hit the penultimate delivery for six, he was unable to repeat the feat.
Sunday, Tanner Cup semi-finals: Bamford Fieldhouse v Friarmere; Uppermill v Hollinwood.
Moore Cup semi-finals: Friarmere v Greenfield; Shaw v Moorside.
